Mirror-frame.



Patented Feb H, I902 INVENTOR Qt M 57%.

P. N. STAFF.

MIRROR FRAME (Application filed May 22, 1901.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES 1 L BY jag, @AM/ g y Mi ATTORNEY.

STATES UNITE rrron.

ATENT iVllRROR-FRANI E.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 693,077, dated February1 1, 1902.

Application filed May 22, 1901- Serial Il'0.61,473. (No model.)

To a. whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER N. STAFF, a citi zen of the United States,residing at Terre Haute, in the county of Vigo and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mirror-Frames; andI do hereby declare that the followingis a full,

'clear, and exact description of the invention,

which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

Myinvention relates to that class of mirrorframes wherein mirrors aresubjected to intense heat, cold, and great changes in temperature; andthe objects of my invention are, first, to provide a frame which byreason ofits peculiarstructure will remove all danger of injury to themirrors, either temporarily or permanent, from intense heat,cold, orgreat changes in temperature, and, second, to provide a mirror-framewhich will afford a free circulation of air and an equal temperatureupon each side of the mirror-glass, thereby obviating all danger ofsweating the glass when subjected to cold, as in the case of mirrorslocated in doors and panels of refrigerators and similar objects, and atthe same time obviating danger of cracking and checking mirrors whensubjected to intense heat, as in the case of mirrors located againstchimneys, above fireplaces, and other similar localities. I attain theseobjects by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure l is an elevation of my mirror-frame. Fig. 2is a sectional view of my invention, showingits internal structureandthe method ofventilation. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the ventilatingattachment.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

The letter a indicates a framework which consists of the face or frontwall 5, four side walls 0, and a back d, all fastened together in theform of a flat box. The face or front wall is cut out and recessed toreceive the mirror-glass e, which is held in place by a quarter-round orother suitable molding f. A

series of two or more blocks i are firmly attached to the inner sides ofthe side walls 0 upon all four sides for the purpose of holding betweenthemselves sheets a of asbestos paper or other similar imperviousmaterial. The sheets of asbestos paper being firmly stretched betweenthe respective sets of blocks 2' form partitions, which subdivide theinterior of the framework into two or more air-spaces s, as shown inFig. 2.

The face or front wall I) is perforated at a point just below the mirror6 for the purpose of receiving the tube 0, which is inserted in saidperforation and extends nearly but not entirely through the wall I) andforms a vent r. A further perforation or vent r connects with the innerend of the vent r and extends upward therefrom to the open space behindthe mirrorglass 6, thereby forming an L- shaped air-vent through theface of the mirror and into the space 8 between the glass 2 and thesheet of asbestos n next thereto. The tube 0 consists of a hollowmetallic cylinder adapted to fit into the vent r and is provided with aflange or face-plate u, adapted to fit against the outer surface of theface I) of the frame. A circular door or check '12 is attached to theflange u by means of the pivot 19, upon which it revolves for thepurpose of either closing or opening the air-vent. A circular piece ofwire screen i is attached to the inner end of the tube 0 for the purposeof intercepting foreign objects which may enter the tube.

The advantages which I claim my invention affords over priormirror-frames consist, first, in the fact that either heat or coldsubjected to the back of the frame cannot penetrate the successivesheets of asbestos or other impervious walls, and hence can have noinjurious effect upon the back of the mirrorglass; second, as aircirculates freely from the'open space in front of the glass e to thespace immediately behind the glass the face and back of the glass willalways be of equal temperature and will consequently not be injured byuneven temperature, although the back of the frame be intensely heatedor chilled, and, third, in consequence of the equal temperaturemaintained upon the two sides of the glass e the disfiguringcondensation of moisture, commonly called sweating upon the face of theglass will be obviate Having described myinvention and its purposes,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

As a new article of manufacture, the mirror-frame, consisting of theframework a, subdivided by two or more impervious walls it into two ormore air-spaces s, the blocks *6 attached to the inner walls a of a andadapted to hold in place the impervious walls n, the cut-away andrecessed face or front wall I), adapted to receive the mirror-glass e,and provided with the connecting air-vents 1" and PETER N. STAFF.

Vitnesses:

E. M. CALL, S. B. DAVIS.

